23. North Carolina (4-3)
It’s been something of a rocky start to the season for North Carolina. The Tar Heels have made this uncomfortable habit of getting behind early and leaving them big holes to come back from. During the opening week of the season, their resilience got them back into a game at Kansas but they came up just short against the Jayhawks. That same poor habit reared its head again in Maui this past week.
After trailing by 18 points at the half, the Tar Heels clawed back for a 92-90 win over Dayton in the opener of the Maui Invitational, getting 30 points from RJ Davis and 27 from Seth Trimble. Tuesday’s semifinal was much tougher, as North Carolina faltered 85-72 against Auburn, led by Trimble’s 17-point effort. They dug out of another halftime hole in the 3rd place game but fell 94-91 in overtime against Michigan State despite shooting 50% from the field and getting 18 points from Drake Powell.
This trend is unsustainable if the Tar Heels are going to be a contender this season. They’re starting to answer some of the questions in the frontcourt with Trimble’s recent play really standing out for this team. Following a week of questionable defensive performances, the Tar Heels need to dig deep because the road ahead isn’t easier. They’ll host Alabama as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge and a great performance against the Crimson Tide might get them back on the right track.